90% of BHEL orders in 2009-10 from private firms

State-run Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) secured orders worth Rs 59,000 crore from domestic and international companies in the financial year ended this March, of which about 90 per cent came from the private sector.

The total orders received by the power equipment maker in 2009-10 were for a generation capacity of 16,489 Mw, of which orders for 14,689 Mw came from private companies, said B Prasada Rao, chairman and managing director, in a statement here. BHEL’s current order book stands at Rs 1,44,000 crore.

As a result of increased customer focus and sustained efforts for entry into new business areas, BHEL’s industry sector order book showed a record growth of 40 per cent at Rs 14,366 crore, the statement added.

Currently, the company has the capacity to manufacture power equipment with a cumulative generation capacity of 15,000 Mw per annum, to be increased to 20,000 Mw by the end of 2010-11. It also plans to increase investment on its research and development (R&D) to Rs 1,200 crore by 2011-12, from Rs 829 crore in 2009-10, the statement added.

It also announced a dividend of Rs 1,141 crore for 2009-10. The company posted an increase of 37 per cent in profit after tax at Rs 4,311 crore and a 22 per cent growth in top line at Rs 34,154 crore.

During the year, the company bagged its biggest-ever contract for establishment of a captive power plant for Indian Oil Corporation and also garnered major repeat orders from Hindalco for a 6x150 Mw BTG package, besides the single largest order for supply of 150 units of 5,000 HP 25 Kv AC mainline electric locomotives to Indian Railways.

Futher, BHEL and Maharashtra State Power Generation Company Ltd have signed a deal to set up a joint venture company to build, own and operate a 1,500-1,600 Mw power plant at Latur, in Maharashtra. Similarly, BHEL and Madhya Pradesh Power Generation Company Ltd have formed a JV to build, own and operate a 2x800 Mw supercritical thermal power plant at Khandwa, in Madhya Pradesh.